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WSIS PRIZES

WSIS Prizes is a unique international contest developed in response to requests from the WSIS stakeholders to create an effective mechanism to evaluate and recognize individuals, governments, civil society, local, regional and international agencies, research institutions and private-sector companies for outstanding success in implementing development oriented strategies that leverage the power of ICTs as an enabler of the development. The WSIS Prizes contest is an integral part of the WSIS stocktaking process; set up in 2004 to assist WSIS implementation and follow-up. The contest was held for the first time in 2012, and rapidly gained attention and popularity within the ICT for Development (ICT4D) community.

Building upon the outcomes of the United Nations General Assembly Overall Review on WSIS as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the WSIS Prizes 2016 reflect close linkages with achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The WSIS Prizes contest serves as the platform for identifying and showcasing the success stories across the WSIS Action Lines defined in the Geneva Plan of Action and SDGs. It also provides us with models that can be replicated in the interests of empowering the community at the local level, providing everyone with an opportunity to participate in the contest and, most importantly, recognizing the efforts made by stakeholders to contribute to the development of society and their commitment to achievement of both the WSIS goals and SDGs.

WSIS PRIZES 2017

Building upon the outcomes of the United Nations General Assembly Overall Review on WSIS (Res. A/70/125) as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Res. A/70/1), the WSIS Prizes, facilitated by ITU in coordination with all WSIS stakeholders, the WSIS Prizes 2017 contest, while continuing to highlight progress made towards achieving the WSIS goals, will also continue to reflect to which of the newly proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the submitted projects are mostly linked to.

All stakeholders are urged to encourage their networks to join the WSIS Prizes process, including the multistakeholder open consultation process for the WSIS Forum 2017, in order to ensure that all features correspond to the real needs of the WSIS implementation process towards 2025. Phase one will open the call for submissions to the contest of the WSIS Prize 2017. Starting from 5 September 2016 until 1 March 2017, all stakeholders are invited to submit WSIS related projects to the WSIS Prize 2017 contest. In order to process the submission, stakeholders are requested to complete the submission form for WSIS Prize 2017 online here.

ICTs are enablers for sustainable development, and reporting on ICT success stories to best showcase the possible achievement of SDGs is the major objective of WSIS Stocktaking process, including WSIS Prizes, as already recognized and anticipated by the WSIS stakeholders community. The contest thus comprises 18 categories which are linked to the 11 WSIS Action Lines outlined in the Geneva Plan of Action and SDGs.

Prize Ceremony / WSIS Forum 2017 (12 June – 16 June 2017)

CATEGORIES

The contest comprises 18 categories that are directly linked to the WSIS Action Lines outlined in the Geneva Plan of Action. While continuing to highlight progress made towards achieving the WSIS goals, the WSIS Prizes categories will reflect to which of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the submitted projects are most closely linked.

Category 1

Action Line C1

C1. The role of governments and all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for development

The effective participation of governments and all stakeholders is vital in developing the Information Society requiring cooperation and partnerships among all of them.

Development of national e-strategies, including the necessary human capacity building, should be encouraged
by all countries by 2005, taking into account different national circumstances.

Initiate at the national level a structured dialogue involving all relevant stakeholders, including through
public/private partnerships, in devising e-strategies for the Information Society and for the exchange of best
practices.

In developing and implementing national e-strategies, stakeholders should take into consideration local,
regional and national needs and concerns. To maximize the benefits of initiatives undertaken, these should
include the concept of sustainability. The private sector should be engaged in concrete projects to develop the
Information Society at local, regional and national levels.

Each country is encouraged to establish at least one functioning Public/Private Partnership (PPP) or
Multi-Sector Partnership (MSP), by 2005 as a showcase for future action.

Identify mechanisms, at the national, regional and international levels, for the initiation and promotion
of partnerships among stakeholders of the Information Society.

Explore the viability of establishing multi-stakeholder portals for indigenous peoples at the national
level.

By 2005, relevant international organizations and financial institutions should develop their own
strategies for the use of ICTs for sustainable development, including sustainable production and consumption
patterns and as an effective instrument to help achieve the goals expressed in the United Nations Millennium
Declaration.

International organizations should publish, in their areas of competence, including on their website,
reliable information submitted by relevant stakeholders on successful experiences of mainstreaming ICTs.

Encourage a series of related measures, including, among other things: incubator schemes, venture capital
investments (national and international), government investment funds (including micro-finance for Small,
Medium-sized and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), investment promotion strategies, software export support activities
(trade counseling), support of research and development networks and software parks.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 2

Action Line C2

C2. Information and communication infrastructure: an essential foundation for the Information Society

Infrastructure is central in achieving the goal of digital inclusion, enabling universal, sustainable, ubiquitous and affordable access to ICTs by all, taking into account relevant solutions already in place in developing countries and countries with economies in transition, to provide sustainable connectivity and access to remote and marginalized areas at national and regional levels.

Governments should take action, in the framework of national development policies, in order to support an
enabling and competitive environment for the necessary investment in ICT infrastructure and for the development
of new services.

In the context of national e-strategies, devise appropriate universal access policies and strategies, and
their means of implementation, in line with the indicative targets, and develop ICT connectivity
indicators.

In the context of national e-strategies, provide and improve ICT connectivity for all schools,
universities, health institutions, libraries, post offices, community centres, museums and other institutions
accessible to the public, in line with the indicative targets.

Develop and strengthen national, regional and international broadband network infrastructure, including
delivery by satellite and other systems, to help in providing the capacity to match the needs of countries and
their citizens and for the delivery of new ICT-based services. Support technical, regulatory and operational
studies by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and, as appropriate, other relevant international
organizations in order to:

promote the provision of global high-speed satellite services for underserved areas such as remote and
sparsely populated areas;

explore other systems that can provide high-speed connectivity.

In the context of national e-strategies, address the special requirements of older people, persons with
disabilities, children, especially marginalized children and other disadvantaged and vulnerable groups,
including by appropriate educational administrative and legislative measures to ensure their full inclusion in
the Information Society.

Encourage the design and production of ICT equipment and services so that everyone, has easy and affordable
access to them including older people, persons with disabilities, children, especially marginalized children,
and other disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, and promote the development of technologies, applications, and
content suited to their needs, guided by the Universal Design Principle and further enhanced by the use of
assistive technologies.

In order to alleviate the challenges of illiteracy, develop affordable technologies and non-text based
computer interfaces to facilitate people's access to ICT.

Undertake international research and development efforts aimed at making available adequate and affordable
ICT equipment for end users.

Encourage the use of unused wireless capacity, including satellite, in developed countries and in
particular in developing countries, to provide access in remote areas, especially in developing countries and
countries with economies in transition, and to improve low-cost connectivity in developing countries. Special
concern should be given to the Least Developed Countries in their efforts in establishing telecommunication
infrastructure.

Optimize connectivity among major information networks by encouraging the creation and development of
regional ICT backbones and Internet exchange points, to reduce interconnection costs and broaden network
access.

Encourage and promote joint use of traditional media and new technologies.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 3

Action Line C3

C3. Access to information and Knowledge

ICTs allow people, anywhere in the world, to access information and knowledge almost instantaneously. Individuals, organizations and communities should benefit from access to knowledge and information.

Develop policy guidelines for the development and promotion of public domain information as an important
international instrument promoting public access to information.

Governments are encouraged to provide adequate access through various communication resources, notably the
Internet, to public official information. Establishing legislation on access to information and the
preservation of public data, notably in the area of the new technologies, is encouraged.

Promote research and development to facilitate accessibility of ICTs for all, including disadvantaged,
marginalized and vulnerable groups.

Governments, and other stakeholders, should establish sustainable multi-purpose community public access
points, providing affordable or free-of-charge access for their citizens to the various communication
resources, notably the Internet. These access points should, to the extent possible, have sufficient capacity
to provide assistance to users, in libraries, educational institutions, public administrations, post offices or
other public places, with special emphasis on rural and under-served areas, while respecting intellectual
property rights (IPRs) and encouraging the use of information and sharing of knowledge.

Encourage research and promote awareness among all stakeholders of the possibilities offered by different
software models, and the means of their creation, including proprietary, open-source and free software, in
order to increase competition, freedom of choice and affordability, and to enable all stakeholders to evaluate
which solution best meets their requirements.

Governments should actively promote the use of ICTs as a fundamental working tool by their citizens and
local authorities. In this respect, the international community and other stakeholders should support capacity
building for local authorities in the widespread use of ICTs as a means of improving local governance.

Encourage research on the Information Society, including on innovative forms of networking, adaptation of
ICT infrastructure, tools and applications that facilitate accessibility of ICTs for all, and disadvantaged
groups in particular.

Support the creation and development of a digital public library and archive services, adapted to the
Information Society, including reviewing national library strategies and legislation, developing a global
understanding of the need for "hybrid libraries", and fostering worldwide cooperation between
libraries.

Encourage initiatives to facilitate access, including free and affordable access to open access journals
and books, and open archives for scientific information.

Support research and development of the design of useful instruments for all stakeholders to foster
increased awareness, assessment, and evaluation of different software models and licences, so as to ensure an
optimal choice of appropriate software that will best contribute to achieving development goals within local
conditions.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 4

Action Line C4

C4. Capacity Building

Everyone should have the necessary skills to benefit fully from the Information Society. Therefore capacity building and ICT literacy are essential. ICTs can contribute to achieving universal education worldwide, through delivery of education and training of teachers, and offering improved conditions for lifelong learning, encompassing people that are outside the formal education process, and improving professional skills.

Develop domestic policies to ensure that ICTs are fully integrated in education and training at all levels,
including in curriculum development, teacher training, institutional administration and management, and in
support of the concept of lifelong learning.

Develop and promote programmes to eradicate illiteracy using ICTs at national, regional and international
levels.

Promote e-literacy skills for all, for example by designing and offering courses for public administration,
taking advantage of existing facilities such as libraries, multipurpose community centres, public access points
and by establishing local ICT training centres with the cooperation of all stakeholders. Special attention
should be paid to disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.

In the context of national educational policies, and taking into account the need to eradicate adult
illiteracy, ensure that young people are equipped with knowledge and skills to use ICTs, including the capacity
to analyse and treat information in creative and innovative ways, share their expertise and participate fully
in the Information Society.

Governments, in cooperation with other stakeholders, should create programmes for capacity building with an
emphasis on creating a critical mass of qualified and skilled ICT professionals and experts.

Work on removing the gender barriers to ICT education and training and promoting equal training
opportunities in ICT-related fields for women and girls. Early intervention programmes in science and
technology should target young girls with the aim of increasing the number of women in ICT careers. Promote the
exchange of best practices on the integration of gender perspectives in ICT education.

Empower local communities, especially those in rural and underserved areas, in ICT use and promote the
production of useful and socially meaningful content for the benefit of all.

Launch education and training programmes, where possible using information networks of traditional nomadic
and indigenous peoples, which provide opportunities to fully participate in the Information Society.

Design and implement regional and international cooperation activities to enhance the capacity, notably, of
leaders and operational staff in developing countries and LDCs, to apply ICTs effectively in the whole range of
educational activities. This should include delivery of education outside the educational structure, such as
the workplace and at home.

Design specific training programmes in the use of ICTs in order to meet the educational needs of
information professionals, such as archivists, librarians, museum professionals, scientists, teachers,
journalists, postal workers and other relevant professional groups. Training of information professionals
should focus not only on new methods and techniques for the development and provision of information and
communication services, but also on relevant management skills to ensure the best use of technologies. Training
of teachers should focus on the technical aspects of ICTs, on development of content, and on the potential
possibilities and challenges of ICTs.

Develop distance learning, training and other forms of education and training as part of capacity building
programmes. Give special attention to developing countries and especially LDCs in different levels of human
resources development.

Promote international and regional cooperation in the field of capacity building, including country
programmes developed by the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies.

Launch pilot projects to design new forms of ICT-based networking, linking education, training and research
institutions between and among developed and developing countries and countries with economies in
transition.

Volunteering, if conducted in harmony with national policies and local cultures, can be a valuable asset
for raising human capacity to make productive use of ICT tools and build a more inclusive Information Society.
Activate volunteer programmes to provide capacity building on ICT for development, particularly in developing
countries.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 5

Action Line C5

C5. Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs

Confidence and security are among the main pillars of the Information Society.

Promote cooperation among the governments at the United Nations and with all stakeholders at other
appropriate fora to enhance user confidence, build trust, and protect both data and network integrity; consider
existing and potential threats to ICTs; and address other information security and network security
issues.

Governments, in cooperation with the private sector, should prevent, detect and respond to cyber-crime and
misuse of ICTs by: developing guidelines that take into account ongoing efforts in these areas; considering
legislation that allows for effective investigation and prosecution of misuse; promoting effective mutual
assistance efforts; strengthening institutional support at the international level for preventing, detecting
and recovering from such incidents; and encouraging education and raising awareness.

Governments, and other stakeholders, should actively promote user education and awareness about online
privacy and the means of protecting privacy.

Take appropriate action on spam at national and international levels.

Encourage the domestic assessment of national law with a view to overcoming any obstacles to the effective
use of electronic documents and transactions including electronic means of authentication.

Further strengthen the trust and security framework with complementary and mutually reinforcing initiatives
in the fields of security in the use of ICTs, with initiatives or guidelines with respect to rights to privacy,
data and consumer protection.

Share good practices in the field of information security and network security and encourage their use by
all parties concerned.

Invite interested countries to set up focal points for real-time incident handling and response, and
develop a cooperative network between these focal points for sharing information and technologies on incident
response.

Encourage further development of secure and reliable applications to facilitate online transactions.

Encourage interested countries to contribute actively to the ongoing United Nations activities to build
confidence and security in the use of ICTs.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 6

Action Line C6

C6. Enabling environment

To maximize the social, economic and environmental benefits of the Information Society, governments need to create a trustworthy, transparent and non-discriminatory legal, regulatory and policy environment. Actions include:

Governments should foster a supportive, transparent, pro-competitive and predictable policy, legal and
regulatory framework, which provides the appropriate incentives to investment and community development in the
Information Society.

We ask the Secretary General of the United Nations to set up a working group on Internet governance, in an
open and inclusive process that ensures a mechanism for the full and active participation of governments, the
private sector and civil society from both developing and developed countries, involving relevant
intergovernmental and international organizations and forums, to investigate and make proposals for action, as
appropriate, on the governance of Internet by 2005. The group should, inter alia:

develop a working definition of Internet governance;

identify the public policy issues that are relevant to Internet governance;

develop a common understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of governments, existing
intergovernmental and international organisations and other forums as well as the private sector and civil
society from both developing and developed countries;

prepare a report on the results of this activity to be presented for consideration and appropriate action
for the second phase of WSIS in Tunis in 2005.

Governments are invited to:

facilitate the establishment of national and regional Internet Exchange Centres;

manage or supervise, as appropriate, their respective country code top-level domain name (ccTLD);

promote awareness of the Internet.

In cooperation with the relevant stakeholders, promote regional root servers and the use of
internationalized domain names in order to overcome barriers to access.

Governments should continue to update their domestic consumer protection laws to respond to the new
requirements of the Information Society.

Promote effective participation by developing countries and countries with economies in transition in
international ICT forums and create opportunities for exchange of experience.

Governments need to formulate national strategies, which include e-government strategies, to make public
administration more transparent, efficient and democratic.

Develop a framework for the secure storage and archival of documents and other electronic records of
information.

Governments and stakeholders should actively promote user education and awareness about online privacy and
the means of protecting privacy.

Invite stakeholders to ensure that practices designed to facilitate electronic commerce also permit
consumers to have a choice as to whether or not to use electronic communication.

Encourage the ongoing work in the area of effective dispute settlement systems, notably alternative dispute
resolution (ADR), which can promote settlement of disputes.

Governments, in collaboration with stakeholders, are encouraged to formulate conducive ICT policies that
foster entrepreneurship, innovation and investment, and with particular reference to the promotion of
participation by women.

Recognising the economic potential of ICTs for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), they should be
assisted in increasing their competitiveness by streamlining administrative procedures, facilitating their
access to capital and enhancing their capacity to participate in ICT-related projects.

Governments should act as model users and early adopters of e-commerce in accordance with their level of
socio-economic development.

Governments, in cooperation with other stakeholders, should raise awareness of the importance of
international interoperability standards for global e-commerce.

Governments, in cooperation with other stakeholders, should promote the development and use of open,
interoperable, non-discriminatory and demand-driven standards.

ITU, pursuant to its treaty capacity, coordinates and allocates frequencies with the goal of facilitating
ubiquitous and affordable access.

Additional steps should be taken in ITU and other regional organisations to ensure rational, efficient and
economical use of, and equitable access to, the radio-frequency spectrum by all countries, based on relevant
international agreements.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 7

Action Line C7: e-government

C7. ICT Applications: e-government

ICT applications can support sustainable development, in the fields of public administration, business, education and training, health, employment, environment, agriculture and science within the framework of national e-strategies. This would include actions within the following sector:

Implement e-government strategies focusing on applications aimed at innovating and promoting transparency
in public administrations and democratic processes, improving efficiency and strengthening relations with
citizens.

Develop national e-government initiatives and services, at all levels, adapted to the needs of citizens and
business, to achieve a more efficient allocation of resources and public goods.

Support international cooperation initiatives in the field of e-government, in order to enhance
transparency, accountability and efficiency at all levels of government.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 8

Action Line C7: e-business

C7. ICT Applications: e-business

ICT applications can support sustainable development, in the fields of public administration, business, education and training, health, employment, environment, agriculture and science within the framework of national e-strategies. This would include actions within the following sector:

Governments, international organizations and the private sector, are encouraged to promote the benefits of
international trade and the use of e-business, and promote the use of e-business models in developing countries
and countries with economies in transition.

Through the adoption of an enabling environment, and based on widely available Internet access, governments
should seek to stimulate private sector investment, foster new applications, content development and
public/private partnerships.

Government policies should favour assistance to, and growth of SMMEs, in the ICT industry, as well as their
entry into e-business, to stimulate economic growth and job creation as an element of a strategy for poverty
reduction through wealth creation.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 9

Action Line C7: e-learning

C7. ICT Applications: e-learning

ICT applications can support sustainable development, in the fields of public administration, business, education and training, health, employment, environment, agriculture and science within the framework of national e-strategies. This would include actions within the following sector:

Everyone should have the necessary skills to benefit fully from the Information Society. Therefore capacity building and ICT literacy are essential. ICTs can contribute to achieving universal education worldwide, through delivery of education and training of teachers, and offering improved conditions for lifelong learning, encompassing people that are outside the formal education process, and improving professional skills.

Develop domestic policies to ensure that ICTs are fully integrated in education and training at all levels,
including in curriculum development, teacher training, institutional administration and management, and in
support of the concept of lifelong learning.

Develop and promote programmes to eradicate illiteracy using ICTs at national, regional and international
levels.

Promote e-literacy skills for all, for example by designing and offering courses for public administration,
taking advantage of existing facilities such as libraries, multipurpose community centres, public access points
and by establishing local ICT training centres with the cooperation of all stakeholders. Special attention
should be paid to disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.

In the context of national educational policies, and taking into account the need to eradicate adult
illiteracy, ensure that young people are equipped with knowledge and skills to use ICTs, including the capacity
to analyse and treat information in creative and innovative ways, share their expertise and participate fully
in the Information Society.

Governments, in cooperation with other stakeholders, should create programmes for capacity building with an
emphasis on creating a critical mass of qualified and skilled ICT professionals and experts.

Work on removing the gender barriers to ICT education and training and promoting equal training
opportunities in ICT-related fields for women and girls. Early intervention programmes in science and
technology should target young girls with the aim of increasing the number of women in ICT careers. Promote the
exchange of best practices on the integration of gender perspectives in ICT education.

Empower local communities, especially those in rural and underserved areas, in ICT use and promote the
production of useful and socially meaningful content for the benefit of all.

Launch education and training programmes, where possible using information networks of traditional nomadic
and indigenous peoples, which provide opportunities to fully participate in the Information Society.

Design and implement regional and international cooperation activities to enhance the capacity, notably, of
leaders and operational staff in developing countries and LDCs, to apply ICTs effectively in the whole range of
educational activities. This should include delivery of education outside the educational structure, such as
the workplace and at home.

Design specific training programmes in the use of ICTs in order to meet the educational needs of
information professionals, such as archivists, librarians, museum professionals, scientists, teachers,
journalists, postal workers and other relevant professional groups. Training of information professionals
should focus not only on new methods and techniques for the development and provision of information and
communication services, but also on relevant management skills to ensure the best use of technologies. Training
of teachers should focus on the technical aspects of ICTs, on development of content, and on the potential
possibilities and challenges of ICTs.

Develop distance learning, training and other forms of education and training as part of capacity building
programmes. Give special attention to developing countries and especially LDCs in different levels of human
resources development.

Promote international and regional cooperation in the field of capacity building, including country
programmes developed by the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies.

Launch pilot projects to design new forms of ICT-based networking, linking education, training and research
institutions between and among developed and developing countries and countries with economies in
transition.

Volunteering, if conducted in harmony with national policies and local cultures, can be a valuable asset
for raising human capacity to make productive use of ICT tools and build a more inclusive Information Society.
Activate volunteer programmes to provide capacity building on ICT for development, particularly in developing
countries.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 10

Action Line C7: e-health

C7. ICT Applications: e-health

ICT applications can support sustainable development, in the fields of public administration, business, education and training, health, employment, environment, agriculture and science within the framework of national e-strategies. This would include actions within the following sector:

Promote collaborative efforts of governments, planners, health professionals, and other agencies along with
the participation of international organizations for creating a reliable, timely, high quality and affordable
health care and health information systems and for promoting continuous medical training, education, and
research through the use of ICTs, while respecting and protecting citizens' right to privacy.

Facilitate access to the world's medical knowledge and locally-relevant content resources for
strengthening public health research and prevention programmes and promoting women's and men's health,
such as content on sexual and reproductive health and sexually transmitted infections, and for diseases that
attract full attention of the world including HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

Alert, monitor and control the spread of communicable diseases, through the improvement of common
information systems.

Promote the development of international standards for the exchange of health data, taking due account of
privacy concerns.

Encourage the adoption of ICTs to improve and extend health care and health information systems to remote
and underserved areas and vulnerable populations, recognising women's roles as health providers in their
families and communities.

Strengthen and expand ICT-based initiatives for providing medical and humanitarian assistance in disasters
and emergencies.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 11

Action Line C7: e-employment

C7. ICT Applications: e-employment

ICT applications can support sustainable development, in the fields of public administration, business, education and training, health, employment, environment, agriculture and science within the framework of national e-strategies. This would include actions within the following sector:

Encourage the development of best practices for e-workers and e-employers built, at the national level, on
principles of fairness and gender equality, respecting all relevant international norms.

Promote new ways of organizing work and business with the aim of raising productivity, growth and
well-being through investment in ICTs and human resources.

Promote teleworking to allow citizens, particularly in the developing countries, LDCs, and small economies,
to live in their societies and work anywhere, and to increase employment opportunities for women, and for those
with disabilities. In promoting teleworking, special attention should be given to strategies promoting job
creation and the retention of the skilled working force.

Promote early intervention programmes in science and technology that should target young girls to increase
the number of women in ICT carriers.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 12

Action Line C7: e-environment

C7. ICT Applications: e-environment

ICT applications can support sustainable development, in the fields of public administration, business, education and training, health, employment, environment, agriculture and science within the framework of national e-strategies. This would include actions within the following sector:

Governments, in cooperation with other stakeholders are encouraged to use and promote ICTs as an instrument
for environmental protection and the sustainable use of natural resources.

Government, civil society and the private sector are encouraged to initiate actions and implement projects
and programmes for sustainable production and consumption and the environmentally safe disposal and recycling
of discarded hardware and components used in ICTs.

Establish monitoring systems, using ICTs, to forecast and monitor the impact of natural and man-made
disasters, particularly in developing countries, LDCs and small economies.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 13

Action Line C7: e-agriculture

C7. ICT Applications: e-agriculture

ICT applications can support sustainable development, in the fields of public administration, business, education and training, health, employment, environment, agriculture and science within the framework of national e-strategies. This would include actions within the following sector:

Ensure the systematic dissemination of information using ICTs on agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries,
forestry and food, in order to provide ready access to comprehensive, up-to-date and detailed knowledge and
information, particularly in rural areas.

Public-private partnerships should seek to maximize the use of ICTs as an instrument to improve production
(quantity and quality).

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 14

Action Line C7: e-science

C7. ICT Applications: e-science

ICT applications can support sustainable development, in the fields of public administration, business, education and training, health, employment, environment, agriculture and science within the framework of national e-strategies. This would include actions within the following sector:

Promote affordable and reliable high-speed Internet connection for all universities and research
institutions to support their critical role in information and knowledge production, education and training,
and to support the establishment of partnerships, cooperation and networking between these institutions.

Promote electronic publishing, differential pricing and open access initiatives to make scientific
information affordable and accessible in all countries on an equitable basis.

Promote the use of peer-to-peer technology to share scientific knowledge and pre-prints and reprints
written by scientific authors who have waived their right to payment.

Promote the long-term systematic and efficient collection, dissemination and preservation of essential
scientific digital data, for example, population and meteorological data in all countries.

Promote principles and metadata standards to facilitate cooperation and effective use of collected
scientific information and data as appropriate to conduct scientific research.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 15

Action Line C8

C8. Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content

Cultural and linguistic diversity, while stimulating respect for cultural identity, traditions and religions, is essential to the development of an Information Society based on the dialogue among cultures and regional and international cooperation. It is an important factor for sustainable development.

Create policies that support the respect, preservation, promotion and enhancement of cultural and
linguistic diversity and cultural heritage within the Information Society, as reflected in relevant agreed
United Nations documents, including UNESCO's Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. This includes
encouraging governments to design cultural policies to promote the production of cultural, educational and
scientific content and the development of local cultural industries suited to the linguistic and cultural
context of the users.

Develop national policies and laws to ensure that libraries, archives, museums and other cultural
institutions can play their full role of content - including traditional knowledge - providers in the
Information Society, more particularly by providing continued access to recorded information.

Support efforts to develop and use ICTs for the preservation of natural and, cultural heritage, keeping it
accessible as a living part of today's culture. This includes developing systems for ensuring continued
access to archived digital information and multimedia content in digital repositories, and support archives,
cultural collections and libraries as the memory of humankind.

Develop and implement policies that preserve, affirm, respect and promote diversity of cultural expression
and indigenous knowledge and traditions through the creation of varied information content and the use of
different methods, including the digitization of the educational, scientific and cultural heritage.

Support local content development, translation and adaptation, digital archives, and diverse forms of
digital and traditional media by local authorities. These activities can also strengthen local and indigenous
communities.

Provide content that is relevant to the cultures and languages of individuals in the Information Society,
through access to traditional and digital media services.

Through public/private partnerships, foster the creation of varied local and national content, including
that available in the language of users, and give recognition and support to ICT-based work in all artistic
fields.

Strengthen programmes focused on gender-sensitive curricula in formal and non-formal education for all and
enhancing communication and media literacy for women with a view to building the capacity of girls and women to
understand and to develop ICT content.

Nurture the local capacity for the creation and distribution of software in local languages, as well as
content that is relevant to different segments of population, including non-literate, persons with
disabilities, disadvantaged and vulnerable groups especially in developing countries and countries with
economies in transition.

Give support to media based in local communities and support projects combining the use of traditional
media and new technologies for their role in facilitating the use of local languages, for documenting and
preserving local heritage, including landscape and biological diversity, and as a means to reach rural and
isolated and nomadic communities.

Enhance the capacity of indigenous peoples to develop content in their own languages.

Cooperate with indigenous peoples and traditional communities to enable them to more effectively use and
benefit from the use of their traditional knowledge in the Information Society.

Exchange knowledge, experiences and best practices on policies and tools designed to promote cultural and
linguistic diversity at regional and sub-regional levels. This can be achieved by establishing regional, and
sub-regional working groups on specific issues of this Plan of Action to foster integration efforts.

Assess at the regional level the contribution of ICT to cultural exchange and interaction, and based on the
outcome of this assessment, design relevant programmes.

Governments, through public/private partnerships, should promote technologies and R&D programmes in
such areas as translation, iconographies, voice-assisted services and the development of necessary hardware and
a variety of software models, including proprietary, open source software and free software, such as standard
character sets, language codes, electronic dictionaries, terminology and thesauri, multilingual search engines,
machine translation tools, internationalized domain names, content referencing as well as general and
application software.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 16

Action Line C9

C9. Media

The media in their various forms and with a diversity of ownership as an actor, have an essential role in the development of the Information Society and are recognized as an important contributor to freedom of expression and plurality of information.

Encourage the media - print and broadcast as well as new media - to continue to play an important role in
the Information Society.

Encourage the development of domestic legislation that guarantees the independence and plurality of the
media.

Take appropriate measures - consistent with freedom of expression - to combat illegal and harmful content
in media content.

Encourage media professionals in developed countries to establish partnerships and networks with the media
in developing ones, especially in the field of training.

Promote balanced and diverse portrayals of women and men by the media.

Reduce international imbalances affecting the media, particularly as regards infrastructure, technical
resources and the development of human skills, taking full advantage of ICT tools in this regard.

Encourage traditional media to bridge the knowledge divide and to facilitate the flow of cultural content,
particularly in rural areas.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 17

Action Line C10

C10. Ethical dimensions of the Information Society

The Information Society should be subject to universally held values and promote the common good and to prevent abusive uses of ICTs.

Take steps to promote respect for peace and to uphold the fundamental values of freedom, equality,
solidarity, tolerance, shared responsibility, and respect for nature.

All stakeholders should increase their awareness of the ethical dimension of their use of ICTs.

All actors in the Information Society should promote the common good, protect privacy and personal data and
take appropriate actions and preventive measures, as determined by law, against abusive uses of ICTs such as
illegal and other acts motivated by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance, hatred,
violence, all forms of child abuse, including paedophilia and child pornography, and trafficking in, and
exploitation of, human beings.

Invite relevant stakeholders, especially the academia, to continue research on ethical dimensions of
ICTs.

Related Sustainable Development Goals:

Category 18

Action Line C11

C11. International and regional cooperation

International cooperation among all stakeholders is vital in implementation of this plan of action and needs to be strengthened with a view to promoting universal access and bridging the digital divide, inter alia, by provision of means of implementation.

Governments of developing countries should raise the relative priority of ICT projects in requests for
international cooperation and assistance on infrastructure development projects from developed countries and
international financial organizations.

Within the context of the UN's Global Compact and building upon the United Nations Millennium
Declaration, build on and accelerate public-private partnerships, focusing on the use of ICT in
development.

Invite international and regional organizations to mainstream ICTs in their work programmes and to assist
all levels of developing countries, to be involved in the preparation and implementation of national action
plans to support the fulfilment of the goals indicated in the declaration of principles and in this Plan of
Action, taking into account the importance of regional initiatives.

Sustainable Development Goal 17

Partnerships for the Goals

Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Related WSIS Action Lines:

WSIS PRIZES 2016

Facilitated by ITU in coordination with all WSIS stakeholders, the WSIS Prizes 2016 contest provided a platform to identify and showcase success stories across the WSIS Action Lines defined in the Geneva Plan of Action and Sustainable Development Goals. For the fifth year in a row, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) recognized outstanding success stories from around the world for their part in building an inclusive information society. It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to award the WSIS Prize 2016 winners and champions’ dedication and commitment in the implementation of the WSIS Outcomes, while honouring the outstanding projects from the international WSIS community.

More than 400 ICT success stories were submitted for the 2016 edition of the prize. Out of 311 nominated projects, 179 projects came from the government sector, 41 from the business sector, 31 from civil society, 14 from international organizations, and 46 from academia and other entities. The eighteen winners of WSIS Prizes were presented with an award at the WSIS Forum 2016, held from 2 to 6 May 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland. Detailed descriptions of winning projects are available at the WSIS Prizes 2016 website

An innovation in 2016 WSIS Prizes contest was an introduction of the WSIS Prize Champions category, which recognizes those contenders having emerged from the online voting phase with more than 245.000 votes from the WSIS community. Their projects were among those having received the highest number of votes and having gained the best reviews by the members of the Expert Group.

The winners of the WSIS Awards along with the champions form a key part of our global and grassroots community engaged in online and community advocacy. Our common objective is to inspire and advance sustainable development through the effective use of ICTs.

PREVIOUS CONTESTS

6

YEARS RUNNING

1200

PROJECTS SUBMITTED

1.65M

VOTES CAST

SUBMIT

SUBMISSION PHASE

Phase I: Submission phase—5 September 2016 – 1 March 2017

Phase I will open the call for submissions to the contest of the WSIS Prizes 2017. During the period from 5 September 2016 until 1 March 2017, all stakeholders are invited to submit WSIS related projects to the contest for WSIS Prizes 2017. In order to process the submission, stakeholders are requested to complete the submission form for WSIS Prizes 2016 online that contains two parts:

The contest is open to all stakeholders, entities representing governments, private sector, international and regional institutions, civil society and academia. Each entity is allowed to submit one project per category. Stakeholders are invited to consult the rules for project submission and nomination criteria below prior to submitting a project.

RULES AND GUIDELINES

Rules and guidelines for submission phase

For each project submission only one category should be selected, out of 18 categories.

Each entity could submit one project per each category

The same project may not be submitted twice.

All details requested in the questionnaire should be completed strictly respecting the type of stakeholder and the structure of the submission template. The incomplete submissions will not be accepted. Minimum number of words requested should be respected (executive summary 100 words and project information 1500-2000 words/ Word Format).

The project will be counted for the competition if the project description presents one activity and not a list of activities.

All projects submitted to this competition should cover work that is completed or at the end of a major phase in order to provide evidence of results and impact on society.

The project submission deadline should be strictly respected. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Projects should be submitted in English only.

Winning projects of previous WSIS Prizes contests are not eligible to participate in the contest.

Nomination criteria

The submission should be complied with rules for project submission. The requested information in the template should respond to all questions and provide detailed information on the goals, timeframe, project's added value and importance, results and challenges. Minimum number of words requested should be respected (executive summary 100 words and project information 1500-2000 words).

It should highlight the relevance of the project to the respective WSIS Action Line as referenced in the Geneva Plan of Action.

The project description should clearly demonstrate the following:

the results achieved and impact generated

community empowerment

relevance to SDGs

ability of the model to be replicated

sustainability of project

partnerships development

promotion of WSIS values in the Society

Rules and guidelines for voting phase

The first five most voted projects are selected based on the appreciation/voting of projects by WSIS
stakeholders representing WSIS online network. The stakeholders are invited to appreciate/vote for projects in all 18 categories.

Only registered members of the WSIS Stocktaking Platform (STK) with requested complete information may vote for/appreciate a project. The information should contain organization details: name, type, country and user details: username and e-mail

Entities are not allowed to vote for/appreciate their own project

Votes/appreciations of all STK members are weighted equally

Each STK member may only vote for/appreciate one project in each category

Stakeholders should complete the voting process by voting in each category (in total 18)

WSIS Stocktaking reserves the right to use the entity (organization) details submitted by stakeholders

SUBMISSION FORM

NOMINATIONS

NOMINATION PHASE

Phase II: Nomination phase—2 March – 29 March 2017

During Phase II, an Expert Group revised the projects referring to the rules for
project submission and nomination criteria. The outcome of the Expert Group's
work was a list of nominated projects listed below. The Expert Group consisted
of professionals working on the implementation of WSIS outcomes. The decisions of
the Expert Group are final and without appeal.

RULES AND GUIDELINES

Rules and guidelines for submission phase

For each project submission only one category should be selected, out of 18 categories.

Each entity could submit one project per each category

The same project may not be submitted twice.

All details requested in the questionnaire should be completed strictly respecting the type of stakeholder and the structure of the submission template. The incomplete submissions will not be accepted. Minimum number of words requested should be respected (executive summary 100 words and project information 1500-2000 words/ Word Format).

The project will be counted for the competition if the project description presents one activity and not a list of activities.

All projects submitted to this competition should cover work that is completed or at the end of a major phase in order to provide evidence of results and impact on society.

The project submission deadline should be strictly respected. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Projects should be submitted in English only.

Winning projects of previous WSIS Prizes contests are not eligible to participate in the contest.

Nomination criteria

The submission should be complied with rules for project submission. The requested information in the template should respond to all questions and provide detailed information on the goals, timeframe, project's added value and importance, results and challenges. Minimum number of words requested should be respected (executive summary 100 words and project information 1500-2000 words).

It should highlight the relevance of the project to the respective WSIS Action Line as referenced in the Geneva Plan of Action.

The project description should clearly demonstrate the following:

the results achieved and impact generated

community empowerment

relevance to SDGs

ability of the model to be replicated

sustainability of project

partnerships development

promotion of WSIS values in the Society

Rules and guidelines for voting phase

The first five most voted projects are selected based on the appreciation/voting of projects by WSIS
stakeholders representing WSIS online network. The stakeholders are invited to appreciate/vote for projects in all 18 categories.

Only registered members of the WSIS Stocktaking Platform (STK) with requested complete information may vote for/appreciate a project. The information should contain organization details: name, type, country and user details: username and e-mail

Entities are not allowed to vote for/appreciate their own project

Votes/appreciations of all STK members are weighted equally

Each STK member may only vote for/appreciate one project in each category

Stakeholders should complete the voting process by voting in each category (in total 18)

WSIS Stocktaking reserves the right to use the entity (organization) details submitted by stakeholders

VOTE

VOTING PHASE

Phase III: Voting phase—30 March – 30 April 2017

Phase III provides an online mechanism for all WSIS stakeholders to participate in
the contest of WSIS Prizes 2017. The list of nominated projects is available here. The
WSIS multi-stakeholder community is invited to participate and cast its vote for one
project in each of 18 categories. To begin voting, click the button below.

The deadline for completing votes is 30 April 2017 (23:00 Geneva time). The first five
most voted projects will be selected based on the appreciation/voting for project
descriptions by WSIS stakeholders representing WSIS online network. The rules for
voting should be strictly respected.

RULES AND GUIDELINES

Rules and guidelines for submission phase

For each project submission only one category should be selected, out of 18 categories.

Each entity could submit one project per each category

The same project may not be submitted twice.

All details requested in the questionnaire should be completed strictly respecting the type of stakeholder and the structure of the submission template. The incomplete submissions will not be accepted. Minimum number of words requested should be respected (executive summary 100 words and project information 1500-2000 words/ Word Format).

The project will be counted for the competition if the project description presents one activity and not a list of activities.

All projects submitted to this competition should cover work that is completed or at the end of a major phase in order to provide evidence of results and impact on society.

The project submission deadline should be strictly respected. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Projects should be submitted in English only.

Winning projects of previous WSIS Prizes contests are not eligible to participate in the contest.

Nomination criteria

The submission should be complied with rules for project submission. The requested information in the template should respond to all questions and provide detailed information on the goals, timeframe, project's added value and importance, results and challenges. Minimum number of words requested should be respected (executive summary 100 words and project information 1500-2000 words).

It should highlight the relevance of the project to the respective WSIS Action Line as referenced in the Geneva Plan of Action.

The project description should clearly demonstrate the following:

the results achieved and impact generated

community empowerment

relevance to SDGs

ability of the model to be replicated

sustainability of project

partnerships development

promotion of WSIS values in the Society

Rules and guidelines for voting phase

The first five most voted projects are selected based on the appreciation/voting of projects by WSIS
stakeholders representing WSIS online network. The stakeholders are invited to appreciate/vote for projects in all 18 categories.

Only registered members of the WSIS Stocktaking Platform (STK) with requested complete information may vote for/appreciate a project. The information should contain organization details: name, type, country and user details: username and e-mail

Entities are not allowed to vote for/appreciate their own project

Votes/appreciations of all STK members are weighted equally

Each STK member may only vote for/appreciate one project in each category

Stakeholders should complete the voting process by voting in each category (in total 18)

WSIS Stocktaking reserves the right to use the entity (organization) details submitted by stakeholders

VOTING FORM

Voting Phase Complete

The voting phase is now complete.
1.1 million votes were cast in this year's
WSIS Prizes contest. The list of WSIS Prizes 2017
Champions were announced on 8 May.

CHAMPIONS

2017 CHAMPIONS

ITU announced 90 Champions of the prestigious WSIS Prizes contest while the
18 Winners, out of these 90 Champions, will be recognized at a ceremony at
Geneva International Conference Centre on 13 June, as part of the annual
WSIS Forum 2017
(12 - 16 June).

WSIS Prizes honor outstanding projects that leverage the power of information
and communication technology (ICT) to accelerate socio-economic development.
Besides the highlighted relevance of the project to the respective WSIS Action
Line as referenced in the Geneva Plan of Action, the selection process was
based on the project's impact on the community and linkages with the
Sustainable Development.

345 ICT success
stories from around the world were nominated for the Online
Voting Phase (30 March – 30 April) following a comprehensive review by the
Expert Group of 467 submitted projects submitted by
the WSIS Stakeholder community. Based on the results of the intensive Online
Voting Phase, which saw over 1.1 million votes cast by WSIS stakeholders, a
selection of winning projects was made by the Expert Group.

The eighteen winners will go on to win WSIS Prizes 2017 and will be
presented with an award at the WSIS Prizes ceremony during the WSIS
Forum 2017, 12-16 June 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland. At the same occasion,
72 WSIS Prize 2017 Champions (first four runner-up projects in each
category) will be recognized during the special ceremony dedicated to their
success and will receive special certificates of achievement.

Out of 345 nominated projects, based on regional distribution, there are:

42 projects are from the Africa region

45 projects from the Americas region

66 projects are from the Arab region

104 projects from the Asia and Pacific region

41 projects from the CIS region

42 projects from the Europe region

5 nominated projects come from international organizations

Out of 345 nominated projects, based on entity distribution, there are:

Action Line C11 International & regional cooperation:

INTERVIEWS

STORIES

E-employment Collaboration

Ministry of Manpower

WSIS Prizes 2015

The Sultanate of Oman has actively participated in the WSIS Summits in 2003 Geneva and 2005 in Tunis and was also a donor for Tunis Summit. The Sultanate is committed to work towards achieving the WSIS goals, and to drive the information society initiatives in all walks of life; bridging the digital divide through capacity building in order to develop Oman knowledge society. In addition, the e.Oman strategy pillars are aligned with WSIS action lines. Since the inception of the WSIS projects prizes, Oman was actively participating in this prestigious information society award. The WSIS project prizes is an excellent platform to share Oman experience with the rest of the world.

In 2015, the Ministry of Manpower, Oman chose to highlight the ground-breaking implementation of the e-Employment Collaboration system, which targets and caters to:

Omanis nationals by empowering them to seek gainful and satisfying employment opportunities, at the ease of their own pace and place.

Foreign skilled and un-skilled manpower by empowering them to online access their contracts and payment details.

Private sector companies and businesses, by enabling them to apply, submit and track clearances for work permits electronically, and update employee details on centralized government system.

Sanad Centres to directly cater with the job seekers, employees and employers to provide e-Employment services.

Other Ministries and Government agencies to actively collaborate in achieving the national objectives.

The project has shown significant impact, specifically by reducing the number of visits a sponsor or a job seeker has to make to the Ministry office. The system has registered 209,951 Omani workers in the private sector, with 4,203 applications registered through mobile app, 21,800 through the Ministry Portal, and finally 8,877 directly over the Ministry counter. The system also has registered 1,618,290 foreign workers in private sector, 152,570 registered private sector businesses, integrating 18 commercial local banks and several government entities.

Winning the WSIS Prizes Contest in 2015 represents unique recognition of the Ministry of Manpower for excellence in the implementation of WSIS outcomes, linked to the WSIS Action Lines outlined in the Geneva Plan of Action. The resounding media coverage of the prestigious honor not only shone the spotlight on the Ministry’s efforts throughout the nation, but also inspired other Ministries and Government agencies to follow suit and enhance their own IT/ICT capabilities for the betterment of the society and the nation.

We believe that the WSIS stocktaking process and its Prizes contest is truly its flagship component, as it provides a unique and global platform to benchmark national capabilities, and on the other side provides a wonderful and rich experience for the participating countries and the agencies to be recognized amongst their peers.

Tele-education in 1000 rural Government Schools

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

WSIS Prizes 2015

Winning the WSIS Prize was a fulfilling experience as it brought about a brief flashback of all those challenges we surmounted to make it happen. This was immediately followed by an invigoration to prod on and discover new horizons. Providing Education is a universal concern. However, access to quality education in remote geographical areas has been a universal challenge. ICT has helped address this challenge. We are not alone in trusting ICT to deliver; there are several forays around the globe. Winning the WSIS Prize would affirm this belief and act as a reinforcement to decision makers. These were our thoughts when we submitted our project.

Education empowers individuals to lead the communities they live in. Significantly, providing quality education will help acquire required livelihood skills and build knowledge society. This is particularly important in developing countries where remote areas have high proportions of weaker sections of the society. The major goal our project attempts to reach people in remote areas. Preliminary analysis shows that there is significant improvement in performance of students particularly those belonging to weaker sections.

Our initial focus was on providing education through ICT in 1,000 Government-run schools where weaker sections dominate. The same is likely to be raised to 2,000 schools. The number of beneficiaries will also double from about 186,000 to an estimated 350,000+ students. There are also request from other states.

Today, when we mention that we have won the WSIS Prize people want to know more about what we do. It helps build credibility of the project and reaching out various stakeholders. This Prize may also have encouraged the Government to add another 1,000 schools under the ICT project.

ICT is essential for providing quality education that is really inclusive and equitable as it enables transcending of socio-economic barriers and taking Education where it is required most. Hence we see a definite connect between the Sustainable Development Goals and our ICT project.

To conclude, we believe that the WSIS Stocktaking process makes available valuable information to interested parties, fostering further interaction and development on the global scale. While the WSIS Prize bestows recognition for achievement, it also signifies a responsibility to continue sharing and cause the global community of innovators and change agents to flourish. In doing so, the Prizes form the flagship component of the stocktaking process.

Fight Violence Against Women — FightVAW

YoungInnovations

WSIS Prizes 2015

WSIS recognizes and evaluates important projects from around the world that have implemented WSIS Outcomes, and have contributed significantly to addressing community needs. Our project, Fight Violence Against Women (FightVAW), within the e-employment ICT applications category of WSIS Prizes, relates to WSIS Action Lines. WSIS Prizes 2015 was an interesting platform which introduced us to international projects that have contributed to community development. It was equally exciting to share our story.

FightVAW is an ICT based initiative that promotes greater awareness and changes in social norms that lead to Gender Based Violence (GBV), improves the quality and reach of support services for GBV victims, and strengthens the capacity of support services providers in Nepal. It resonates strongly to current demands of Nepal, especially post April 2015 earthquake where the situation of women and girls have become even more vulnerable.

We have been able to engage multiple national and international stakeholders who worked towards attaining MDG of ending gender disparity and promoting equality. Sustainable plans to mainstream the project at national level have paved paths for replicable projects even at international levels.

After WSIS awards, FightVAW gained national recognition with more stakeholders curious about the project implementation and impact. We managed to increase partnerships with new organizations to assist mainstreaming of project at national level.

FightVAW relates directly to the Sustainable Development Goals set for 2030. It works actively in attaining the Goal 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower girls and women. Among the targets, there are two that FightVAW addresses directly, eliminating violence against women and girls and making use of technology, especially information and communication, to empower women. FightVAW, hence, is actively incorporating the SDG targets to contribute significantly to attaining them.

WSIS Prizes’ role is important in evaluating projects and understanding their contribution in community development. It is an indicator to assessing the progress made towards SDGs, as it brings together multiple international projects that are contributing directly towards it. In coming years, we hope to see WSIS expand its area incorporating significantly high number of projects within its realm for better recognition of projects and eventual social development.

PlacesToGo

The Academy Of Public Administration under the Aegis of the President of the Republic of Belarus

WSIS Prizes 2016

PlacesToGo was a 2016 WSIS Prize Champion for Action Line C8: Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content.

In 2014, 137,000 international tourists arrived in Belarus to enjoy our diverse national culture, and with so much to see and do we developed PlacesToGo, a student-led project designed to attract tourists to the unusual and peaceful places of Belarus.

PlacesToGo efficiently utilizes technology to promote tourist sites within the region. A regional leader in information and communication technologies (ICTs), Belarus was ranked at number 36 in ITU’s global ICT Development Index in 2015, climbing 14 places since the previous year. Yet, only 52% of the population has Internet access.

Through PlacesToGo, the Academy of Public Administration under the aegis of the President of the Republic of Belarus aims to:

Broaden its project visibility to improve SDG literacy.

Establish a tri-level network between government, business and academia.